The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Ananthapadmanabhan joins elite club

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Thursday, Nov 18, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Ananthapadmanabhan joins elite club

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOV. 17. It has been a long but fruitful journey through the last 16 years for K.N. Ananthapadmanabhan, who on Wednesday became the first Kerala bowler to enter 300-wicket club in the Ranji Trophy. The veteran leg-spinner achieved this feat when he accounted for Himachal Pradesh's middle-order bat Virendra Sharma at the Fort Maidan in Palakkad.

Having made his debut against Hyderabad in the 1988-89 season, Ananthapadmanabhan has been a regular in the Kerala squad since then, playing a crucial role as leading wicket-taker and for a while as the captain of the side. He has so far figured in 85 matches (including the ongoing match against Himachal Pradesh) and now has a tally of exactly 300 wickets off 3032.4 overs and at a cost of 7939 runs.

A leg-spinner, who took to the game seriously only after he entered junior college, the 35-year-old has so far taken 10 wickets in a match 10 times and five wickets or more in an innings on 22 occasions. Small wonder then, that he has always been treated with respect by rival batsmen.

Affectionately called, Kannan, by his family and close friends, Ananthapadmanabhan has also had the opportunity to play for the South Zone in the Duleep Trophy several times over the years and for the Rest of India side in the Zal Irani Cup. He has also figured in the India A teams against England in 1992-93, England A in 1994-95, Australia in 1997-98 and in the India Board President's XI against Pakistan in 1998-99.

However, for all these successes, it is still a mystery how he missed the selection to the Indian senior team, though he by now should be reconciled to the fact that there are a few hurdles in everyone's life, which could remain insurmountable. But then, that he has never allowed this disappointment to cloud his career as a first-class cricketer is very much evident from the fact that he still continues to soldier on for his home State in the premier National championship.

Having finished with 25 wickets or more in a Ranji Trophy season on at least five occasions, Ananthapadmanabhan has also proved that he is no mean bat, several times during his career.

Though his career-average in the Ranji Trophy is just about 23.63, this Chennai-based cricketer has scored 2642 runs in 128 innings and hit three centuries and 8 half-centuries. His highest score so far is the 200 that he knocked off against Orissa at the Baramati stadium in Cuttack in 1996-97.

Ananthapadmanabhan, as the records reveal, is also the player to have captained Kerala most times. He was at the helm for 28 matches.

It is difficult now to figure out exactly as to how long Ananthapadmanabhan will continue to stretch his career, though he has retained his fitness by following a strict and disciplined regimen.

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